


In Fair Verona

by empressearwig



Category: Frederica - Georgette Heyer
Genre: Baby Names, F/M, Kid Fic, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 19:09:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5509712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empressearwig/pseuds/empressearwig
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frederica and the Marquis of Alverstoke choose a name for their first child.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Fair Verona

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Xanoka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xanoka/gifts).



And so it came to pass that Miss Frederica Merriville married the Marquis of Alverstoke at Alver that summer. In attendance was the bride's family, one of the groom's sisters, the young man that would hopefully be soon displaced as Alverstoke's heir, and Charles Trevor.

The ceremony was short, the bride and groom quietly ecstatic. 

Charis cried. Felix inquired as to whether or not Cousin Alverstoke really needed to be kissing Frederica. Jessamy and Harry clouted him on either shoulder. Eliza laughed with delight at the proceedings.

In short, the first alliance between Merriville and Dauntry began much as everyone expected it to go on.

The newlyweds spent an idyllic summer at Alver, where Felix regained his strength and despite his having been given a workshop for his own, only attempted to blow up the house once. Jessamy was able to study to his heart's content with Septimus Trevor, who also made sure that both boys explored the bounds of their new home, both on foot and on horse. Charis sewed her trousseau and wrote sweet, poorly written love letters to her not yet formally announced fiance in London.

As for Frederica and Alverstoke, they spent a great deal of time cuddling, in Felix's parlance, and when they returned to London in the fall to announce Charis's engagement to Endymion Dauntry, it was possible for Frederica to tell Alverstoke that they would expect a certain blessed event in the spring.

Because of this, Charis's wedding was fixed for sooner than Frederica would have liked and soon enough, the second marriage of Merriville and Dauntry occurred, accompanied by even more tears than had met the first. It was hard to know who cried more, the bride or the groom's mother, but it was with a certain amount of relief that Frederica bid the newlyweds farewell.

The rest of the family decamped to Alver for Christmas and remained there after, choosing to use the excuse of Frederica's advancing pregnancy to not engage in a social whirl that neither of them had a taste for at present.

And so in due time, the Marchioness of Alverstoke was delivered of a lovely little girl, who was cried over and poked at and loved from the moment of her appearance. 

All was well.

But then arose the matter of the infant's name.

Frederica and the Marquis had discussed the matter of names during her pregnancy. They had considered who they might name the child after, perhaps his sister Eliza who had forced the matter of a proposal upon them or maybe Charles Trevor, who had so grossly overstepped himself and agreed. They had thought of names they liked, with Frederica favoring simpler choices, such as Mary, and the Marquis preferring slightly grander options, such as Georgiana. They discussed many names in earnest through the course of Frederica's confinement, but came to no decisions.

They would let their child determine its own name, they decided. 

It was a good plan, a well intentioned plan, and it might have well have succeeded, if not for the fact that once the child was born, Frederica's Merriville naming instincts had not thrown themselves to the fore.

"We should call her Verona," said Frederica, looking down at her infant daughter with fascination. "Don't you think?"

The Marquis of Alverstoke raised an eyebrow and peered more closely at the blanket wrapped bundle in his wife's arms. "Verona?"

Frederica beamed at him. "After you. Wouldn't that be lovely?"

Alverstoke choked back a laugh, sensing this was very much not the moment. "It's a very nice thought, my love, but I seem to remember a long ago conversation about your and your siblings names. You disapproved of that sort of practice, if I recall correctly."

"It's true," admitted Frederica, unable to tell a lie even when so besotted. She stroked her finger over the child's face. "But she is not a common baby."

"No?" Alverstoke inquired. "She seems to have all the normal parts and pieces."

"Vernon!" said Frederica admonishingly, her eyes laughing at him. 

"Yes, yes," he said soothingly. "Perhaps if I could hold her, I would be better able to appreciate her uncommonness."

Frederica looked torn at giving up her baby, but obligingly passed the child to her father. He cuddled her in his arms, peering down at her tiny features. "Yes, I see what you mean."

"So may we call her that?" Frederica asked hopefully. "It's a beautiful name."

"If that is your heart's desire, my love, of course we may. But if I might make a suggestion, perhaps we might choose a more prosaic second name?"

"Hm," said Frederica. "What did you have in mind?"

"Elizabeth?" suggested Alverstoke delicately. "I believe my sister would be appropriately honored and it has worn well throughout history."

"Verona Elizabeth Dauntry," said Frederica, testing each name together. "I think that will serve very well."

Alverstoke tickled his small daughter under her chin. "Well, that's settled then. Welcome to the family, fair Verona."

***

In years to come, she would be known primarily as Beth.


End file.
